Mechanism for measuring cubic contents of bodies



IMECHANISM FCR MEASURING CUBIC CONTENTS CF BODIES 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l P. V. HOLLENBECK Original Filed. June 4,

F76. LZ.

.4 TTORNE V5.

Apr. 24,V i923.' 1,453,112

F. V. HOLLENBEC MECHANISM FOR MEASURING CUBIC CONTENTS OF' BODIES Original Filed June 4, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NI/ENTOI? Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,453,112 PATEnim carica.

PAUL V. HOLLENBECK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO :INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MECHANISM Foa MEASURTNG cUBTc CONTENTS or Bonnes.

Application led .Tune 4, 1920, Serial No..386,611. Renewed October 26, 19212. Serial No. 597,137.

n*To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PAUL V. HOLLENBECK, a citi/zen of theUnitedn States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism fork Measuring Cubic Contents of Bodies, of which the following is a specification, reference being had `therein to the accompanying drawing.

The object of this invention is to produce a mechanism which will measure the volume or solid contentslof bodies, either round, square, hexagonal or of like shapes in cross section and of a fixed or predetermined length, more particularly an apparatus which will measure the solid contents of logs or chunks of wood used in the manufacture of aper pulp.

ogwood is usually purchased and sold by cord-measure, and consequently a very great variation 1n results is obtained, due mainly to the method of piling the logsand theirfvariations in diameter and size, which conditions either increase or decrease the value of the spaces or interstices between the logs. My improved mechanism measures and records the volume or solid contents of the individual logs or bodies and therefore eliminates the' factor of the interstices, so

vthat an accurate measure and determination of the actual volume is secured.

A further advantage secured vby my improvedmechanism resides in the fact that a great saving of labor is effected, as it will not be necessary to pile the logs in a frame or measure as is now generally practiced,

' and remove the same and keep tally of the number of frames filled. This labor is dispensed with by the use of my mechanism, as it may be installed in the line of progression where the operator usually handles the logs.

To accomplish these results and adv-antages my improved mechanism embodies a movable feeler member which is disposed in the path of the logs or bodies to be measured, which latter are advanced against the feeler member by suitable means such as a conveyor. and will act to displace the member to positions determined by the diameters of the bodies, the said feeler member being operatively connected with suitable measuring or recording mechanism by connecting means of such form that the measuring mechanism will be operated by the displaced movements of the feeler member to measure the solid contents of the bodies for a given length of the same. f

My improved mechanism also embodies selective means operable to' vary the operation of the measuring mechanism to adapt the same for measuring logs or bodies of a different length.

The invention consists also in the details Vand construction or combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings:

lf ig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of my improved mechanism on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a `sectional elevation of a detail of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

'Fig 3 is a front elevation of the mechanism.

Figi 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional elevation on the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Feferring to the drawings:

rl`he operative parts of the mechanism are mounted in and sustained by a suitable framework Comprising two uprights 1 and 2 rising from yside walls 3 of a trough or runway` having a bottom 4 connecting said side walls. The logs or bodies whose volume or solidcontents are to be measured, are advanced along the trough by any suitable means, such for instance as a conveyor mechanism 5 shown in Fig. 1.

Dependent in a normally vertical position in the trough in the path of the passing bodies is a movable feeler member 6 in the form of an arm swinginglv supported at its upper end bv a horizontal shaft 7 to which the arm is fixed by means of a hub 6L on the end of the arm surrounding and fixed to the shaft. This shaft is mounted at its ends to rock in suitable bearingson the frame uprights. the arrangement being such that the logs advanced by the conveyor will successively displace the arm to angular poback between them.

latter will swing back' by gravity to its former vertical position as shown by the full lines in Fig. 1, ready to be engaged by the forward end of the next log advanced. by the conveyor, it being-understood that the logs will be spaced aparton the conveyor suiiciently to enable the arm -to thus fall The Shaft 7 has fixed to it at desde 0f the hub 6a of the feeler arm a Vsegment gear i a hub .12 surrounding and 10 which meshes with` a seo'ment gear 11 on fixed to a horizontal shaft 13 mounted in. suitable bearings on the two frame upriofhts. At theV rear side of the gear 11, the shaft 13 h'as fixed to it a lcam member in the. form of an edge cam 14, the cam surface of which, starting at a point 14a a given distance from the axial center of the shaft,l follows the are described from said center for a short distance, and then continues ina curve 14b which rapidly increases indistance from the center of the shaft as Shown in. Fig. 1. The active edge of the cam engages a roller 15 on the lower end of a vibrating arm 16, and a spring 16 attached to the arm and frame lupright holds the arm yieldingl with the roller engaged with the cam. Ille upper end of the arm is clutched to a horizontal rotary shaft 17, see iFig. 4, mounted in suitable bearings on the frame uprights above the shaft 13,'the clutch connection between the arm and shaft being such that the successive swinging motions of the arm, in the present instance to the right in Fig. 1, imparted by the periodic movements of the cam, will turn the shaft 17 intermittently on its axis, the successive movements imparted by the cam to the arm beingthus accumulative in one direction only in the rotation of the shaft.

Any suitable form of clutch or ratchet mechanism maybe employed for this purpose, but I .prefer to adopt the form of mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and in detail in Fig. 2 where it will be seen that the upper end of the arm 16 is fixed to a sleeve 18 which loosely surrounds the shaft 17 near its rearend. The forward end of the sleeve carries a cam disc 19 provided in its edge with a number of' cam surfaces 19, which surfaces extend from the periphery of the disc towards the axis of the same and terminate in shoulders 19". yThe cam disc is surrounded by an overhanging flange or rim 20 on the periphery of a circular plate 21 which is fixed to the shaft 17, and rollers 22 are arranged in between the cam surface and the rim which are engaged by spiral springs bearing against the shoulders and actin to urge the rollers towards the contracte ends of the. spaces between the cam surfaces and the rim.

As a result of the construction described, when the arm 16 is shifted in one direction, in the present instance to the right Fig. 1, by the high part of the cam 14, the cam disc 19 will be turned, and wedging the rollers between the cam surfaces and rim, the latter will be-turned and will impart a corresponding motion to the shaft; and when vthe arm 16 on its return movement is shifted in the( opposite direction by the spring 16", when the low part of the cam engages the arm, the rollers 22will be released and the cam disc will be permitted to move within the rim, relatively thereto without imparting motion to the shaft.` InI orde'r that in the idle return movement of the arm the shaft 17 will be held against accidental movement with it, I propose to apply frictional or braking resistance to the shaft. In the present instance this is effected by means of two brake bands 24 2 and 4 which extend on opposite sides of a hub or collar 25 fixed to the shaft 17 near its forward end, vthese bands being curved between their ends so as to embrace the curved surface of the collar.

The bands are sustained at one end by thev with a driven gear 29 on the forward end of a horizontal shaft 30 mounted in bearings in the frame uprights. The shaft 30 has fixed to it `a gear 31 meshing with a gear 32 on a shaft 33 journalled in a bearing -34 sustained by the frame upright 1. The shaft 33 carries a disc 35 spaced .from the gear` 32, and between the gear and disc a re-.

,volving member in the form of a pin 36 is fixed so as to rotate with said parts. Extending parallel with the shaft 30 is a hori- Yzlon'tal rock Shaft 37 mounted in bearings in the frame, the forward 'end of which rock ,with an idler gear 28, .which in turn meshes shaft is operatively connected with the operating gearing of a registering or measuring mechanism 37, in such manner that the rocking mot-ions of the shaft will operate said gearing and actua-te the measuring mechanism- The rocking motions are imparted to the shaft by the revolving pin 30 which in its rotation engages the end of an arm 39 fixed to and pro]ecting inwardly from the rock shaft 37 in the path of the pin, and by such engagement rocks said arm arm periodically, corresponding to the successive cycles of operation of the pin, the arm 39 being held yieldingly in the path of the pin by means of a spring 40 (see Fig.

f l) which is connected at its'lowcr end to the frame upright 1 and at its upper end to a fingery 41 on the forward end ofthe rock shaft.` n

The registering or measuring mechanism may be of the conventional standard-form,

and the form and relation of the operative Vconnections between the feeler arm and measuring mechanism is such that for a given length of log or body, the displaced movement of the feeler arm, determined and controlled by the diameter of the body, will actuate-the measuring mechanism to measure yand indicate the solid contents or volume of the body in cubic yards, the successive movements of the feeler arm by the engagement therewith of the successive logs, and

the successive vibrations of the arm 16 by the cam member 14, being accumulative in the rotation of the shaft 17 and in thefgearing connecting said shaft with the measuring or'registering mechanism.

Y In the particular construction shown to illustrate myinvention, the radius of segment gear 11 is half that of segment gear 10and consequently the angular movement;

of shaft 13 and consequently the cam 14 will be twice that vof the feeler arm 6. The length of arm 16 and the rise of cam 14 for this angular movement is so proportioned that for a volume of one cubic yard, the shaft 17 is caused to make one revolution,

i which of course is accumulative of severa motions of the feeler arm. Gears 27 and '29 are of the same diameter with respect to each other; and likewise gears 31 and 32 areof the same diameter-with respect to each other, and consequently one l,revolu.'-

tion of shaft 17 will produce one cycler of the pin -36 and thereby operate the register to measure and record one cubic yard. These proportions are suitable for the measurement of bodies or logs of a given length.

Il propose however to provide for measuring logs of different length by arranging a second train of gearing operated by shaft 30 and adapted to operate rock shaft 37. This-arrangement is shown in Fig. 4""where itwill be seen that in rear of gear 31, shaft 30 has fixed to it a gear 32 of less diameter than gear 31, which meshes with al larger gear 43 on a short shaft 44 mounted in bear. ,ings 45y sustained by the framet., A disc 46 similar to the disc 35, is fixed to the shaft,

' and a vrevolving pin 47 similar to the pin 36,

.e is fixed between the disc and gear to rotate therewith." To adapt the motion of this train of gearing to be transmitted to shaft 37 to-rockl the same, the arm 39 is made shiftn able along the shaft to a position where `it will `extend in the path of the revolving pin 47., When this train of gearing is in action, by reason of the ratio ofthe gears 42 and 43, a greater number of movements of the rock shaft will be necessary to record a. cubic yard than was necessary when the tained by the frame upright l above the measuring mechanism 37 and operated by crank arm 49 operatively connected with the gearing of the counting lmechanism inl such manner that the oscillation of the crank arm will actuate saidmechanism tol indicate and record the number of oscillations. The crank arm 49 is oscillated 4in accordance with the swinging motions of the feeler arm, by meansof a cam 50 fixed to the shaft 13 near its forward end in position to engage -a roller 51 carried by a horizontal lever 52 journalled on a stud projectin inwardly from the, frame upright 1. T e opposite end of the lever has pivoted to it the lower l end of a link 53 the upper end of which is pivoted to the free end offthe crank arm. The lever 52 has connected with vit one end of aspring 54 theother end of which is connected with the frame, which spring acts to pull up on the lever and maintain engagement of the yroller thereon with the cam. As a resul( of this construction, the successive movements of the feeler arm produced by 'the engagement therewith of the successive logs ,or bodies, will correspondinglyl oscillate the crank arm 49and thereby the number of the bodies. t

lt will be understood that in the operation ofthe apparatus by bodies of a given length,.the selective device constituted by vactuate the counting mechanism to indicate the arm 39 will be set in a position on the shaft 37 tocooperate with that particular train of gearing which willoper'ate the arm, and consequently'the mechanism 37a, to record the cubic contents of-bodies of that length passing through the machine. When however, bodies of another length are; to

.be measured, the arm 39 will be shifted on the shaft 37 and set into operative relation to a different train of gearing, the ratio of whose gears are designed tobring about the operation of the-mechanism to measure thecubic contents of Vbodies of ythat length.

lt will be understood from the foregoing description ofthe construction and operation of my improved apparatus, that the contour of the cam y14 bears a mathematical relation to the angular displacements of the feeler arm, the said cam being so laid out mathematically in its relation -to these angular displacements, that for a given length of body, the degree ofdisplacement of the arm will, through the medium'of the cam, actuate the registering mechanism Vto compute or measure the solid or cubic contents of the body. f

The prompt return of the feeler arm to its lnormal position afterbeing disengaged by the passing bodies is leffected in the present instance by means of a weight 55 on an arm 56 fixed to the shaft?" carrying the feeler arm, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In the foregoing description and the accompanyingfdrawings I have set forth my invention in the particular detailed form which I prefer to adopt, but it will be manifest that these details may be variously -changed and modified by the skilledmechanic without departing from the limits vof the invention; and it will be understood Athat the invention is not limited' to any particular form or construction of the parts except in sof'far as limitations are specifiediatively connected with lsaid registering mechanism to actuate the same, said means being so formed in relation to the registering mechanism, 4that for bodies of a given length, the displaced movements ofthe movable member will'operate said mechanism to re ister the cubic contents of the" bodies. 2. n a mechanism of the ty described,

\the combination of a mova le member adapted to be displaced by passing bodies to positions determined by t e diameters of the bodies, a registering mechanism for' indicating the cubic contents of the bodies, and means operated by the displaced movements of the movable member and operatively connected with said registering mechanism to actuate the same, said means being so formed thatthe displaced movementsl of the movable memberl will operate sa'idmechanism to indicate the cubic "contents of the bodies, .and said means includingl a' selective device to vary the operation of the registering mechanism according to the diferent lengths of the bodies.

3. Inf'a mechanism of the type described,

the combination of a movable feeler member adapted to be displaced by passing bodies to positions determined by Athe diameters of the bodies, a registering mechanism, a cam i member operated by the feeler member, and

operative connections between the cam member and registering mechanism, the contour of said cam member being such in relation to said operative connections and the registering mechanism, that for a given length of body, the displaced movements of the feeler member will operate the said mechanism toindicate the cubic contents of the bodies.

4. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a movable feeler member adapted to be displaced by. passing bodies to positions determined by the diame-` ters or` the bodies, a registering mechanism for indicating the cubic contents of the bodies, a member operated by the feeler member different distances according to the displaced movements of the feeler member, a. plurality of gear trains operated by said member, a. second member operatively connected with the registering mechanism for actuating the same and adapted to be operated bythe gear trains to indicate the cubic contents. of vthe passing bodies according to the different lengths of the same, and selective means for operativel connecting either of said gear trains at will with said second member.

5. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a movable feeler member adapted tobe displaced by passing bodies to positions Vdetermined by the diameters of the bodies, a registering mechanism to indicate thecubic contents of the bodies, a cam member operated by the feeler member, a

member operated by the cam member different distances according to the 'displacedmovements of the feeler member, a second member operatively yconnected with the reg- 1stering mechanism, a plurality of gear trains o erated bysaid first mentioned vmember or operating the registering mechanism 'according to the different lengthsof the passing bodies,.and selective means for operatively connecting either of said gear trains with said second member.

6. In a. mechanism of the type described, the combination of a movable member adapted to be displaced by passing bodies'to po- ,sitions determined by the diameters of the bodies, a registering mechanism for indiv eating the cubic contents of the bodies, and

means operated by the movable'member and operatively connected with said mechanism to actuate the same, said means being so formed that the displaced movements of the movable member will operate the registering mechanism to register the cubic contents of `the bodies, and said' means including va luralit of gear trains and selective means or ren ering either of said gear trains opi L f 1,453,112 3 erative at willaccording to the lengths of the bodies whose cubic contents are to be registered.

' 4 7. In a mechanism of the type described,

- erated by the cam member and acting ont-he rotary shaft to'advance it step by step different distances accordin to the diameters of the' successive bodies dlsplaciiig the feeler member, andr a gear train operated by said shaft and operatively connected with the registering mechanism, the contour of the .cam member being such in relation totthe shaft actuating mechanismand gea-r train, that for bodies of the given length, the displaced movements of the feeler member will `determined by the diameters of the bodies,

'a registering mechanism toy register the cn- 30.

operate theyregistering mechanism to register the cubic contents of the bodies.

8. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination, ofl a feeler member adapted tobe displaced by passing bodies'topositions bi'c contents of the bodies, a rotary shaft, operative vconnections between the rotary sha-ft and registering mechanism for actuating it, a vibrating actuating armclutched to said shaft and adapted whenfvibratedlto advance the sha-ft step by step, and a cam member operated by the feeler member and engaging the vibrating arm to vibrate in, the contour of saidicam member being in 'Such relation to the actuatingarm and shaft :and operative connections, that for bodies of given length,'the displaced movements of -the feeler member will operate the registering mechanismto register the cubicvcontents of thebodies- L Y v 9. In a-mechanismof the type described, the combination f of Y a` swinging feeler `inembe'r adapted tobe displaced by the passing bodies to positions determined by the d1` ameters of the bodies, a. registering mechanism to register the cubic contents of the bodies, a rotary shaft, a vibrating Aactuating arm clutched to the shaft and adapted when vibrated to advance the shaft step 'by step,

o 'erative coimec'tionsl between the shaft and t e registerin mechanism ,to operateA the 'sa-me, an oscil ating cani member engaging the actuating arm to vibrate it, a segment gear connected with/the member, and ent gear` connected with the feeler mem r and meshing-,with the rst mentioned gear, the contour of the cam member being such in',relationA to the actuating arm and shaft and Vo tive connections, that 'for bodies of' a given length, the displaced movements of 'the feeler' member tvill wili be operated t9 operate, the registering mechanism to register the cubic contents of the bodies.

l0. `In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a movable member adapted to be displaced by the passing bodies to posit-ions determined by the diameters of the bodies, a registering mechanism to indicate the cubic contents of the bodies, a rocking member operatively connected with the registering mechanism to operate it, an arm on said rocking member, a rotary shaft adapted to be advanced step by step by the displaced movements of the movable member, a gear train operated by the rotary shaft, and a rotary member operated by the gear train and in position to engage the arm on the rockingmember and rock said member. 11. In a. mechanism of the type described, the combination of a. movable member adapted toY be displaced bythe passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the bodies, a. registering mechanism to indicate the cubic contents of the bodies, a rocking member operativelyconnected with the registering 'mechanism-to operate it, an arm on said rocking member shift-able to different positions thereon in the direction ofl `its axis, a rota-ry shaft. adapted to 'be advanced step by step by the displaced movements of the movable member, a plurality' of gear trains operated by the rotary shaft,

and rotary members operated by the respecvaxis `of the member,I a 'plurality of rotary members 'in position to engage'the arm in its diii'erent shiftedrpositions respectively, and operative connections between the movable member and said rotary members, said operative connections being of such form and yconstruction that the rotaryv members actuate the registering mechanism` to indicate the cubic contents of bodies in accordance with the different lengths of the same.

313. In a mechanism of the type described,

the combination of amovable member adapted to vbe displaced by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the f bodies, a registering mechanism for indicating vthe cubic contents of the bodies, operative connections between the movable member and registering mechanism operated nism,a counting mechanism to register the number of the bodies, and operative connections between the movable member and counting mechanism to actuate the latter, said connections being operated by the displaced movements of -the movable member.

14. The combination of a movable member adapted to be displaced by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the bodiesfa registering mechanism, a lcam member voperated by the displaced move- .ments of the movable member, an oscillating member actuated by the cam member, and

operative connections between the oscillating mechanism and registering member to actuate the latter.

15. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a registering mechanism for registering the cubic contents of bodies,

a movable member adapted to be displaced from normal position'to diil'erent positions determined by the diameters othe bodies,

and means between said movable member a swinging member adapted to be displaced from normal position`to different angular positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, and means between said swinging member and the registering mechanism for actuating the latter, 'said means being operated by the displaced movef ments of the swinging member and being -so formed that for a given length of body,

the registering mechanism will be so actuated as to register the cubic contents of the body.

17. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of means for advancing logs endwise with a space between ladjacent logs, a movable member a'dapted to be engaged bythe successive logs and displaced from its normal position to` different positions determined by the diameters of the respective logs, said member being adapted to return to normal position in the space in front of one log when disengaged from the log in advance, a registering mechanism for registering the cubic contents. of the logs, and means between said movable member and the registering mechanism for oactuating the latter, said means being operated .0

by the displaced movements of the movable member and being so formed that for a given length of log, the registering mechanism will be actuatedto register the cubic contents of the same.

18. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a registering mechanism to register the cubic contents of bodies, a swinging `cam member adapted to be displaced to different angular positions by the bodies determined by the diameters of the latter, and means between the swinging cam member and the registering mechanism for actuating said mechanism, said means being f operated by the displaced movements of the cam member, the contour of the cam member being such in relation to said means and said registering mechanism that for a given length of (body, the displaced movement' of the cam member will actuate the registering i mechanism to register thecubic contents of nthe body. f y

In4 testimony whereof, I have aixed my signature hereto. v

PAULJv. HOLLENBECK. 

